Health Meets Wealth at Sea

March 1, 2019

3 Min Read

The art of temperature control aboard luxury yachts

Each year, international superyacht builders think of ways to overcome technical challenges and meet the needs of the wealthy by designing vessels that are the epitome of luxury. So what’s the latest “it” item for superyacht owners in 2019? Cryotherapy spas and onboard wellness facilities.

“The ultra-high-net worth individuals have always been interested in wellness,” said Mark Mantione, metrica’s North American CEO. “And Cryo spas are the latest trend.”

Mark Mantione

Rooted in 325-plus years of German craftsmanship and engineering, metrica has emerged as a leading supplier of both iconic residential and superyacht interiors.

“We can’t really take credit for creating it; designers have been implanting this into superyachts recently because the trend is [that] Cryo spas are everywhere, right; people believe that’s a path to wellness, if you will,” Mantione continued, citing the Cryo-craze. “So for us, it was a challenge we were able to meet and execute at a high level.”

“Our thing is full customization on any request by the owner, delivering interiors that are functional, thoughtfully executed and incorporate the finest materials worldwide,” Mantione explained. “So we’re not a designer but we execute designers’ work; we engineer, fabricate and install the most challenging work worldwide.”

Cryotherapy has been gaining momentum in recent years, popularized by celebrities and athletes for its alleged benefits, such as improved fitness, stress reduction, reduced inflammation and, of course, the anti-aging properties of subzero temperatures. Yep, a Cryo spa is a chamber filled with nitrogen that exposes the body to cold, dry air that’s as low as -240 Fahrenheit—literally freezing ailments away.

“Our clients are from the ultra-high net worth sector who demand the absolute best results, in terms of both quality and schedule,” Mantione said. “As with anything else, ultra-high net worth individuals are always seeking to implement the latest technology and wellness both on land and sea.”

And he doesn’t see the want-for-wellness trend slowing down any time soon.

“As superyacht owners enter into yachtsmanship at an increasingly younger age, they are very concerned with everything wellness,” he continued. “Cryo spas are a significant and increasingly popular aspect of that, considering their vast benefits.”

While Finnish spas and Pilates studios were previous “it” items for metrica, massage rooms, aromatherapy, fully-equipped gyms and full-time trainers are also in high demand.

“It started with owners requesting to put these on superyachts,” Mantione said of the company’s Reposo line of humidors. “They’re extremely sophisticated mechanisms, with LED lighting, glass, custom metal and cedar blocks.”

The Reposo Column Nautic was explicitly made for marine use, while the Reposo Column Cube is a desktop unit and the Reposo Column is for residential use.

Under Mantione’s helm, metrica has secured numerous residential projects at prestigious properties, including a duplex apartment at 520 Park Avenue in Manhattan, a residence at 220 Central Park South, a residence at 432 Park Avenue and a residential compound in Palm Beach County.